Laura and Paul Haenlein created Utopia Tan & Spa with a vision to provide clients with a high-end, wellness-oriented experience. From the start, they committed to premium equipment, including high-performance hybrid tanning beds. So, when they decided to add full-body red light therapy, they weren’t going to settle for less than the best.

“The goal was to have a more upscale tanning salon with brand new equipment. We have five hybrid tanning units. We’re heavily into red light therapy. That’s why we called it Utopia Tan and Spa. We’re wellness. We want to heal your body,” Laura says. “This area didn’t have red light. Nobody had SmartSun Therapy; nobody had a real one. As a salon owner who is very well versed in light spectrums, you can’t just take a tanning bed, throw some pink lamps in it, and call it red light therapy. That’s a placebo.

“Now we have the amazing SST28 with the vibration plate that I can’t say enough about. It’s the biggest thing we’ve put in my salon. It’s worth its weight in gold.”

As they began planning for the salon, their first purchase was the POLY LED Red Light system. Paul, a military veteran who had undergone shoulder replacement surgery and suffers from chronic back pain, psoriasis, and eczema, found significant relief using the POLY at home. His positive experience reinforced their decision to make red light therapy a core focus of the business. Later, when considering full-body LED systems, their choice was clear after experiencing the SST28 firsthand.

“We went to the National Tanning Expo in Nashville in 2023 and saw it and talked to [Smart Tan CEO] Matt [Russell],” Laura says. “I didn’t like how other red light beds looked like a regular tanning bed. The reason we picked the SST28 was due to the fact that people have arthritis and bad backs, and they can get in and out so easily, and then it helps loosen up the joints and vertebrae.”

After opening the business in May 2023, they added the SST28 about a year later, and it quickly became the centerpiece of their wellness offerings, the perfect complement to their hybrid tanning equipment, and a fan-favorite amongst both their staff and clients.

“With new clients, first we talk about the hybrid beds, explain the spectrums, then explain the POLY, then walk over and show them the SST and explain the 630nm red light with 850nm infrared. Our girls are highly trained to explain what it is and what it does. Clients sometimes say they used red light at another place, and we say, ‘Sorry, unfortunately that is not a true red light therapy bed,’” Laura says.

“SmartSun Therapy is a game-changer for all of us. Every one of my girls use it, and they love it. One of my employees is in her 50s and started to lose inches. Another employee’s skin is tightening. Personally, I’m not using as much Botox now.”

While the device is marketed for temporary alleviation of mild muscle and joint discomfort and stiffness, minor arthritis discomfort or muscle spasms, temporary enhancement of local blood circulation, and temporary muscle relaxation, Utopia clients have reported a number of other effects from consistent usage.

“I have several clients that struggle with MS, one has had four hip surgeries, another has chronic COPD, and people with knee problems. One client who has MS has his own hydroponic farm, and he could only stand for 30 minutes. Since using the SST28, he can now stand and work his farm for the entire day, This is tremendous healing that we have been able to witness and experience ourselves,” Laura says.

“Regular use of that bed three times a week or more has absolutely been astounding to see how many people are receiving the full benefits of how deep it goes in the epidermal tissue.”

Of course, the introduction of SmartSun Therapy has not only been a game-changer for the owners, staff and clients, but also for the business from a financial perspective. While they were advised to introduce the service at a higher price point, after analyzing the demographics in their area, the Haenleins priced a 12-session package at $120 and single sessions at $50. Members at their top-tier Diamond Wellness level at $99.95 per month get unlimited access to POLY red light and Halotherapy but can also add 12 SST28 sessions per month for an additional $70 upcharge per month.

“When we have a new client who has never seen red light in their life, when they get to the SST28, they’re like “Oh, what is that?’ The way it’s decorated, they just want to be in that room,” Laura says. “Adding those upgrades has boosted our monthly revenue as well as the $120 for 12 visits. There are people who won’t tan but are switching to red light so we’re not losing that client.”